Though students in other grades also took the STAAR tests, scores for fifth and eighth-grade students were released early because students in those two grades must pass the math and reading sections in order to be promoted to the next grade under the state’s Student Success Initiative.

Teachers will have approximately two weeks to provide additional instruction before the first retest opportunity, scheduled on May 14-15. The final retest opportunity is in June.

“There’s not a lot of time until the next testing date, but they should be getting additional support to shore up skills where they’re deficient,” said Debbie Ratcliffe of the TEA.